Breakpoint
by PhoenixWytch
Summary: Rollins doesn't like what she sees and says something about it. The results shock her.
1. First Break

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Hawaii Five-0_ or any of the characters from _Hawaii Five-0_. If I did own them, Steve and Danny would be shacked up in Steve's beachside home with custody of Grace and knocking boots every night.

* * *

This constant back and forth had to stop. It annoyed Catherine to see _her_ Steve banter and flirt with his _work_ partner constantly when they were in each other's presence. It was bad enough that she had to tolerate it when she was ship bound, but now that she isn't it was a thousand times worse. She was sick of it. If Steve wanted to constantly banter and flirt with someone then it should be her and not some annoying, loudmouthed, little man from New Jersey.

That night Catherine makes a nice meal for her and Steve, in Steve's kitchen. She is going to make clear to Steve that he needs to stop his unacceptable behavior and work with her on _their_ relationship. That work includes letting her move into here, his house, and out of her little rental house. After placing the last dish on the table, she steps back to admire her handiwork and hears the front door open.

Turning with a smile, she starts to welcome Steve home only to stop as she sees Steve's partner with him. With her anger fast rising, she snaps, "What the hell is Danny doing here? I told you that I was fixing dinner for _us_. I told you that I need to talk to _you_. That implies that I want to talk to you _alone_! Instead we have a third wheel and I'm sick of it. I'm sick of listening to you banter with him. I'm sick of watching you flirt with him. I'm sick of you touching him. I'm just flat sick of him, Detective Danny Williams, all together! I want him gone, Steve. I want him out of your life. I planned on talking to you about this over dinner. I don't care about your friendship or partnership. I _am_ your girlfriend, not him, and I want him gone now."

Steve and Danny are stunned by the vile and virulent verbal attack from Catherine. Recovering first, Steve steps in front of Danny and glares at her. What she wanted is never going to happen, he cares too much for Danny to just abandon him. That she would ask him to, well it is just the final thing he needed to prove that she isn't the one for him.

In his Super-Extreme-SEAL-of-Death tone, as Danny calls it for it's quiet deadly qualities, he says, "Get your things and get out, Catherine. _Our_ relationship started out as a friends with benefits, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours thing. I thought we might be making it more, but now...now it's done. We are through. You want me to just drop Danny because what? You don't like how we interact with each other? Why? Because you're jealous? I don't care. I have never cheated on you Catherine, but I will _never_ end my relationship with Danny for anyone. We are friends and partners. Since it bothers you so much, get out and stay away! You obviously don't know me."

Now Catherine is stunned. She had been certain that Steve would choose her. They have history and the Navy. She looks from Steve to Danny, only to see Danny looking shellshocked by this whole event. Not willing to accept that she ruined her relationship with Steve and leave, she snarls at Danny, "I hope you're happy. It's your fault Steve just broke up with me. We could have been happy. We could have had a family. Instead we have you to thank for break Steve and I up. We have you to thank for ruining Steve's naval career. You've ruined everything and I hope you're happy about it!"

Now normally Danny is a fairly self assured man, but witnessing this horrifying fight between his best friend and his best friend's girl has thrown him off his game. Instead of being able to shrug off her attack as just heat of the moment words, he flinches back behind Steve for safety and fear. Had he ruined Steve's career? Had he ruined Steve's chance at happiness? Had he ruined Steve's chance for a family?

Hearing Catherine's bullying lies and seeing Danny flinch out of his peripheral vision snapped the last of Steve's control on his anger. Advancing on Catherine, he growls, "Get the hell out! Danny has done absolutely nothing wrong. He hasn't ruined anything. You have, Lieutenant Rollins! You are out of line with your attack and your lies. Now get the hell out of my house before I have you detained for trespassing!"

Catherine steps back from Steve's advance on her in fear. She finally realizes that she's pushed Steve too far and a strategic retreat is required at the moment. Confident that if she leaves now, she can get Steve to forgive her for tonight like he did over her lies about his mother. Gathering her purse and keys, she pushes past the men to the door. Opening it, she pauses to look back over her shoulder at them and says, "This isn't over yet. I'll be back for the rest of my stuff in a couple of days, Steve, and I want to talk to you then."

"There is nothing else to talk about Lieutenant Rollins. I'm finished with this. You want to keep on thinking you can get your own way, fine by me. But I will _not_ be getting back together with you. We might be able to repair our friendship, but we'll _never_ be more than friends again," replies Steve before he turns away from her and towards Danny, "Goodbye Lieutenant."

Wrapping his arms around Danny as the door slams, Steve takes stock of all that has been said. While he is sad that his friendship with Catherine is ruined and truly hopes that someday they might repair it, he is also relieved for their romantic relationship has ended. Not wanting to continue thinking of his former lover, Steve focuses on the best thing in his life and his arms. At least at the moment.


	2. Cracks to Repair

Being held by Steve makes Danny feel safe and protected. Especially after that horrendous fight and Rollins' poisonous words burrowing their way into his head. Danny presses his face against Steve's chest in an effort to block her words from repeating over and over in his head. Only to have a sudden rush of guilt making him push Steve away.

"You need to go after her and fix this. You can't let her just walk away. You need..." Danny starts to rant only to be cut off by Steve clapping a hand over his mouth. Looking up with sad tearful eyes at Steve, Danny just wants Steve to be happy and to have a family. He's known how he feels about the big lunk for a while now, but Steve seemed so happy with Catherine and if Steve loved her then Danny was hellbent on supporting them. Even if it meant his heart was destroyed in the process.

With a small smile, Steve says, "I don't need to do anything or fix anything. She made her choice and tried to make me choose between her and you. Danny, I will _always_ choose you. You are my best friend, my partner. You keep me sane and functioning as a _normal_ human being. Catherine and I were friends then friends with benefit and finally working towards maybe being something more, but I can't...no...I _won't_ be with someone that can't or won't accept that you are important to me."

At Steve's heartfelt words, Danny loses the fight and a tear roll down his cheek. He would do anything for this Navy trained Neanderthal goof. Choking a little on his words, Danny responds, "I just want you to be happy, to have a family. She could give you all of that. If that means we don't hang out so much, it will be worth it for you to be have a family and be happy."

"You're being an idiot. I _have_ a family. I have Chin, Kono, Max, Charlie and Kamekona. I have Mary, Joanie and Aunt Deb. But most of all I have Gracie and I have you. You are my family. You and Gracie. I wanted Catherine to maybe join the family, but there is no way in hell that I am willing to give you up for her," states Steve.


	3. Temporary Fix

Giving Steve a watery smile, Danny pulls away and says, "What...are we in some sappy ass chick flick? I'm getting all teary eyed and your spouting your feelings for all."

Laughing, Steve replies, "We're missing the big finish of most chick flicks if we are."

"What big finish?" questions Danny, bumping his hip against Steve as he heads for the kitchen, "Want a beer? I think I need a beer or three after all this."

"Are you serious, Danno? What big finish? The kiss at the end for the happy couple," grouses Steve as he hip checks Danny back, "And yes, I want a beer. It's my beer. Why wouldn't I want one? I don't know what Catherine made, but I think I want pizza. Unless you want it?"

Stopping at the doorway, Danny stares in shock at the now burning meal, "I think pizza is a wonderful idea. I'm not particularly fond of charcoal for dinner."

"Oh shit!" explains Steve as he pushes past Danny and begins turning off burners, "This is worse than you fixing frittatas. Can you order the pizzas? Do _not_ forget my ham and pineapple or I will make you suffer!"

"Abomination! There is no way I'm ordering that crap on any pizza! No way, no how! You want that, you order the damn pizzas and I'll take care of this," replies Danny grabbing one smoking, burnt mess of a pan from the stovetop and waving Steve towards the lanai, "Just make sure to get me as _real_ a pizza as possible. Remember, I've explained what that is enough times."

Holding his hands up in surrender, Steve pulls his phone from his pocket and dials their favorite pizza place. Steve had noticed that Danny like to work in the kitchen when he was upset when he'd been crashing on the sofa. So leaving Danny to tend to the soiled pans in relative peace, Steve grabs one of the six packs of beer from the fridge as he places their normal pizza orders. He settles out in his normal chair overlooking the ocean just as he verifies the estimated time of delivery.

Inside, Danny scrapes as much of the ruined food from the cooking dishes as possible before setting them to soak in the sink. The normality of his actions speak loud and clear that he wants this. He wants to come home to _this_ house with Steve and continue their bantering as they fix, have and clean up after a meal together. He wants to talk and laugh and fight with Steve. He wants to have a life with Steve. Now he just needs to find out what Steve wants.


	4. Calm Before the Storm

Steve and Danny spend the rest of that night relaxing and putting the fight with Catherine out of their minds. They enjoyed their pizzas, the beer and, most of all, each other's company. They both knew that Catherine had brought to light feelings that they both had for the other. Feelings that they were both too scared to act on or let the other truly know the deep of. Instead they carry on as normal for the evening, though fate won't let them ignore their feelings much longer.

Come Monday, they will be forced to start on the path of confronting and admitting their feelings. They will be forced to admit the full extent of their feelings to each other, to their family, to the world. There will be no more hiding. No more denial. Some will be happy, some upset, and some indifferent. But for tonight, the last night they spend together but separate, they relax and bask in each other's mere presence.


End file.
